Andy DehnartLast summer’s social media phenomenon returns tonight when Syfy debuts Sharknado 2: The Second One at 9. The viewer-chosen subtitle tells you everything you need to know about its approach and seriousness.
There is not a single thing in the movie that makes any sense, and any attempt to think about it critically will likely fail. That makes it fun, though: everything is of such low quality—the special effects, the acting, the plotting, the continuity—that it’s easy to just give yourself over to the absurdity. When Syfy screened the movie for critics recently, it took me a while but I gave in and finally just enjoyed it.
The smartest part is its cameos. The sequel is packed full of them, and they’re clever and witty. Several reality TV stars show up in both brief and extended cameos, and their appearances are all fantastic. Since the surprise is part of the fun, I won’t mention any names today; don’t even watch the trailer below if you really want to get maximum enjoyment from the movie.